The Visitor - Please review!
by FriendsThatLast
Summary: A short story following the events of a trained psychiatrist in a large hospital. I wrote this for a University reading I did a while ago, and wondered if anyone would be interested in it.. But I didn't follow anything in particular so wasn't sure what to do with it, Any reviews would be greatly appreciated


The beginning of autumn, I had been called to a quaint private medical facility that lay deep within acres of countryside. I remember the first time I pulled my car up the cobbled road, to be met by a series of architectural wonders. I realised that the building described to me in a brief e-mail was actually a series of smaller buildings, each perfectly matched to the next in every way.

My stomach felt as though it was doing flips inside of me, which given my surroundings, I'd no idea why. The long road I was travelling along was meticulously trimmed, lined with bronzing chestnut trees and grass complimented with fully-bloomed red dahlia flowers, not often grown in the area. The whole place was a great sight to behold, although, something felt discomforting.

I had often been transferred to different hospitals across the UK but never once before had I spent time in one so beautifully taken care of. I pulled the handbrake until my vehicle was standing still in a parking space after the four hours it took to travel. I stepped gingerly out and paced to the boot of my car for my only suitcase. I had never allowed myself to carry more than I needed, something my mother insisted when I was a child.

As I stepped toward the main building, slightly larger, although still fitting to all the rest, some automatic doors slid almost unnoticeably open before me. I dragged myself on, despite the sudden inclination to run back and far away. The woman who I had first saw, sat on reception, had a sour facial expression. The kind that portrayed that she had better things to be doing than helping ill patients; it sent a cold shrill down my spine.

"How can I help you today?" She said with a false appreciation for me as she noticed my presence

"Oh, I'm Amelia Fall, here to see a Dr Theo I believe?" I said, a small amount of uncertainty in my voice.

"Okay, he's the third door to the right just over there" She acknowledged a long corridor only with her eyes before darting them back down to some paperwork.

I gave her my thanks and paced to where she had indicated quicker than I had previously intended. A golden sign met at my eye level that read _Dr Theo, PhD._ I tapped it lightly, and a deep voice from inside warranted my entrance. I pushed on the heavy door and stepped in; the man who had bellowed to me stood from a large office chair.

He was almost a foot taller than me, with greying hair and a clean shaven face. He grimaced, and grabbed my already shaking hand, with the intention to shake it further. We exchanged pleasantries and I asked about the patient I had been sent to care for.

"Well," He began, "There's not really much to tell of our young Emily. All I know is she punishes herself often, and has been previously assaulted, we've had her in our care for two months now, since July. For the first week she was here she didn't eat much and didn't speak at all."

He handed me a scarlet paper file, containing photos attached with a large paperclip, I removed it and stared in silent horror for the images before me. An extremely skinny girl stood, her face looking to the floor, wiry dark hair hanging down to the bottom of her shoulder blades. I could feel myself trembling at the sight of all the marks on her limbs, deep lacerations and scars running all over. One in particular seemed to run from the base of her cheek to just under her left eye, I knew this was a girl I was never going to forget.

"So, who's paying for her treatment?" I asked, my voice shaking uncontrollably as I spoke.

"Nobody, she's been through several transfers in the area and here was the last place she could come, and although she has all these scars and cuts, none of them are affecting her badly; so her treatment really doesn't cost a lot. We've tried among others to refer her to rehabilitation facilities, but she insists she's not crazy. So for now, she's with us." He said plainly, no hint of happiness in his voice.

Almost too suddenly, my anxiety turned into an excitement, and I was all too ready to help the poor girl, so I went to find the visiting doctor's dorms. Dr Theo had given me a map of the buildings to go over before my meet with the young girl, whose name I'd came to know as Emily. I found the doctors dormitory and made my way upstairs. In a fairly scribbled handwriting, the number 23 was scrawled just over the building's diagram.

I found the door with a number 23 engraved on a sign much like the one on Dr Theo's and entered with a key I had been given via post a week before I came. I decided to get a good night's rest before my meet with Emily.

The night soon disappeared, and I was up and dressed all too quickly. My meet with Emily was only half an hour away and I was ready. Once again I took myself to Dr Theo's Office, not noticing how odd the weather was. A low-lying fog covered my bottom side as I walked, giving the illusion I was floating, and not allowing me to see far ahead of myself.

Dr Theo met me, and we had paced towards a small building that I hadn't seen on the map he'd given me. It seemed almost as eerie as the weather at that moment. I noticed the small cottage was only fit for one person, and crooked, contrasting horribly with the rest of the site.

Dr Theo knocked strongly on Emily's door, and as it swung almost instantly open, I realized; I was the visitor.


End file.
